Steel frame for buildings



I Nov. 12, 1929.

w. A. BATES STEEL FRAME FOR BUILDINGS File Nov- 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet:- 1

Nov. 12, 1929. 7 w. A. BATES. 1,735,627

STEEL FRAME FOR BUILDiNGS Filed Nov. 23. 1927 I 2 Sheets-Shet- 2 I v Z91 I I l -21 l l r. ffl y :03: I i g I l I ol l I z&' 2

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Patented Nov. 12, 1929 a UNITED STATES ra'nazu'r OFFICE WALTER A, BATES,OF GARY, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR T0 WALTER BATES STEEL CORPORA- TION, 0F GARY,INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE STEEL FRAME FOR BUILDINGS-Application filed November 23, 1927. seriai'm. 235,146.

The presentinvention relates to improvements in steel frames forbuildings.

More particularly the present invention relates to steel frames made upof expanded metal members formed from structural steel shapes of usualdesign.

An object of the present invention is to provide a steel frame forabuilding or other structure in which expanded metal members are combinedin'novel fashion to provide relatively great strength.

A further object is to provide a steel frame made up of structural steelmembers which have had diagonal members swedged therefrom, whichdiagonal members in adjacent structural steel members are so disposedrelative to one another as to provide relatively great strength.

A further object is to provide a structural steel frame for a buildingor other structure which is cheap to manufacture, sturdy, and

well adapted to meet the needs of commerce.

Further objects will appear as the description proceeds.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a topplan view of a the steelframe of a building; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the steel frameshown in Figure 1; j Figures 3, 4 and 5 are views in front elevation,side elevation and top plan of a commercial angle member which has haddiagportion of I onals swedged therefrom;

Figures 6 and 7 are views in side elevation and top plan, respectively,showing portions of two commercial channels which have been swedged toprovide diagonals, said two channels being disposed in novelrelationship with one another;

Figure 8 is a view inside elevation of a commercial angle which has beenswedged after a different fashion from that shown in Figure 4, but whichis adaptable to the present invention;

Figure 9 is a View showing portions of a pair of commercial angles whichhave been formed to provide diagonals of still different conformation,said two commercial angle Figure 10 is a sectional view taken along theplane indicated by the arrows 10-10 of Figure 9. e

The present invention will be described with particular reference tosteel frames for houses, butit will be clear as the description proceedsthat the invention is also applicable I to frames for other structures.Figure 1 shows in plan view one slde wall of a house or the like andportions of two adjoining side walls. Said side walls are made up for:the most part of structural steelmembers, indicated by the numerals 2020, portions of which have been swedged to form diagonals in a mannerwhich willbe referred to presently. Though the structural steel membersreferred to are indicated generally by the particular structural steelvmembers chosen for illustration in Figures 1 and 2 are commercial anglemembers, one flange of each of which has been swedged to form lacings.The lacings referred to, reference being had particularly to Figures 3,4 and 5, comprise the diagonals 2121 and the relatively flat portions2222 symmetrically disposed between said diagonals. The diagonals 2l21are preferably of equal length and the fiat portions 22 aresubstantially-parallel with the unswedged portion of the flange 23.According to the disclosure, the other flange 24 of each angle member isleft in its undeformed state. The flat portion of the flange 23 betweenadjacent diagonals 21 is indicatedby the numeral 25. It will be notedfrom an inspection of Figures 3 and 4 that the fiat portions 2525 areprovided with holes 26 adapted to receive rivets or other holding means.Those'portions of the flange 24 adjacent to the fiat portions 25 arealso provided with holes 26-26 adapted to receive rivets or otherholding means. It will be observed also that the fiat portions 22-22 areprovided with holes 26 and that the flange 24 and the undeformed portionof the flange 23 are likewise provided with holes 26 corresponding tothe holes in the flat portion 22 between the lacings 21--21 Thestructure shown in corresponds rather closely to the structure shown' inFigures 3, 4 and 5, the principal 'diflerence being that according-toFigures 6 and 7, a channel member isused, the web 27' of which is slitand .swedged to provide diagonals 21-21, which lacings are connected bythe undeformed flat portions 25 "been slit and stretched in its ownplane to form triangles 30.

The expanded structural steel members above described are connectedtogether in a mercial angle novel manner, whichwill now be briefly re- Iferred to.

Referring to Figure 2, wherein angle members such as are shown inFigures 3, 4 and 5, are used, one angle member, designated bythe numeral31, having three pairs of diagonals 21 swedged therefrom, is connectedto a similar commercial angle member 32 having two pairs of diagonalsswedged therefrom, the flat portion 22 between the diagonals in eachpair in angle member 31 being disposed flatwise'against the flat portion25 or other undeformed portion of the flange 23 of the next adjacentangle member 32. The flat portions 2222 ofthe ex anded angle member 32are connected to t e flat portions 25-25 of the next ad acent comtion ofFigure 2 it will be noted that the diagonals of the commercial anglemembers by the are arranged. in substantially straight lines.

The swedged structural steel members, may have 'a width which is asimple fractlon of the width of the standard design. From an inspectionof Figure 2 it will be noted that windows 34-34 are provided by a doublespacing of the commercial. an 15 members referred to. The door 35 is aso provided by a double spacing of the commercial angle members referredto. Referring to the left-hand window 34, it will b noted that saidwindow is bounded 37. Above and below said left-hand window 34 are thecommercial angle members 38 and39, respectively. It will be noted thatthe angle member 36 has only one pair ofv diagonals 21-21, and that theangle member Figures 6 and 7 i 8 and 9 represent commercial member 33.From an inspecwindows and doors of ommercial angle members 36 and 38 hasonly one pair of diagonals, while the angle member 37 has two pairs ofdiagonals I rivet holes 26 will coincide,wherebv the structure may besecurely rivetedtogether. 1

The bottom extremities each of the angle members 31, 32 and 33 and thelike may be secured to a bottom angleor to bottom angles 4040. The upperextremities of the angle members may be secured to the horizontal anglemember 41. An angle member 42 may be secured to the upright anglemembers 31, 32 and 33 and the like, intermediate of the distancebetween. the angle members 40 and 41. Angle members 42 42 in theframework of adjacent walls may form supports for joists.

From an inspection of Figure 1, it will be clear that the presentinvention provides a convenient ineans for making the corner connectionsbetween walls at right angles to one another. It will be noted that thevertical angle member 31 has its swedged flange'in juxtaposition to theunswedged flange of a similar angle member 43, which antgle member 43has its diagonals 21 dispose tion to form part of a wall at ri ht anglesto the wall made up of the ang es 31, 32, 33 and the like.

Though the walls shown in Fi res 1 and 2 are made up of angle membersavin portions of one flange swedgedto form iagonals,- it will be clearwithout detailed explanation that the channels shown in in posi- Figures6 and 7 may be used, if preferred,

instead of Figures 1 and '2, which angles are shown in more detail inFigures 3, 4 and 5. It will also be clear that the swedged angle membersshown in Figures 8, 9 and 10 may be used in place of the angle: membersshown in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive.

The illustrated embodiments of the present invention have been chosenmerely for purposes of illustration and should not be considered in alimiting sense. Many modifications will occur to those skilled in the.art. It is intended to-cover all such modifications that fall within thescope of the appended claims,

What is claimed is- 1. A steel frame comprising a" plurality ofcommercial shapes, which shapes have por" tions thereof swedged to formdiagonals, the diagonals in each of said shapes being united tounswedged portions of an adjacent shape disposed with relation to thediagonals in the angle members shown in I the next adjacent shape toform substantially straight line struts. i

2. A steel frame comprising a plurality of structural steel membersarranged in parallel relationship with each other, each of saidstructural steel members having two walls in substantially right-angularrelationship with each other, one of said walls of each of saidstructural steel membersbeing swedged to provide diagonals, thediagonals in each of said shapes being united to unswedged portions ofan adjacent shape and arranged in substantial alignment with thediagonals of adjacent structural steel members to form struts.

3. A steel frame comprising a plurality of structuralsteel membershaving walls dis-.

posed in angular relationship with one another, one of the walls of eachof said structural steel members having a portion thereof stretched toform diagonals, the stretched portion of each of said stretched wallsbeing secured to an unstretched portion ofthe corresponding wall of thenext adjacent structural steel member.

4. A steel frame comprising a plurality of structural steel membershaving walls disposed in angular relationship with one another, one ofthe walls of each of said structural steel members having a portionthereof stretched to form diagonals, the stretched portion of each ofsaid stretched walls being secured to an unstretched portion of thecorresponding wall of the next adjacent structural steel member, theother walls of said structural steel members being disposedsubstantially in one plane.

- 5. A steel structure comprising a plurality of frames in right-angularrelationship with one another, each of said frames comprisingstructuralsteel members arranged in parallel relationship with one another, eachof said structuralsteel members having adjacentwalls in right-angularrelationship with one another, one of said walls having portions thereofstretched to form diagonals, said stretched portion being secured to anunstretched portion of the corresponding wall of the next adjacentstructural steel member,

said angularly disposed walls at the edges of adjacent frames beingsecured together to form a corner construction.

6. A frame structure adapted to form the wall of a building comprising aplurality of equi-spaced structural steel members arranged in parallelrelationship with one another, transverse structural steel membersconnected by flat portions, said fiat portions being united to unswedgedportions of an adjacent shape, said openings being free of saiddiagonals, said diagonals in. adjacent structural steel members beingpositioned to form substantially straight line struts.

7. A steel frame adapted to form the wall of a building comprising aplurality of equispaced parallel structural steel members, each of saidstructural steel members having two walls in substanatiallyright-angular rela tionship with each other, certain of said structualsteel members being interrupted, and transverse structural steel membersat the extremities of said interrupted first-mentioned structural steelmembers providing openings having a width equal to the spacing between aplurality of said first-mentioned structural steel members, one of saidWalls of each of said structural steel'members being swedged to providediagonals, pairs of diagonals in each of said structural steel membersbeing united to unswedged portions of an adjacent structural steelmember, said diagonals being arranged in substantial alignment with thediagonals of adjacent structural steel members to form struts.

8. A steel frame adapted to form the framework of the wall of a buildingcomprising a plurality of structural steel members each having wallsdisposed in right-angular relationship with one another, and transversestriictural steel members connecting certain of said first-mentionedstructural steel members, certain of said first-mentioned structuralsteel members being interrupted at said transverse structural steel 7members to provide openings equal to-the spacing between a plurality ofsaid first-mentioned structural steel members, one of the walls of eachof said first-mentioned structural steel members having a portionthereof stretched to form diagonals, pairs of said diagonals beingconnected by flat portions," said fiat portions being secured tounstretched portions of the next adjacent structural steel memberwhereby to form substanta-ially straight line struts.

' 9. A steel frame comprising a plurality of commercial shapes eachhaving walls in rightangular relationship with eaclfother, one of saidwalls of each of said shapes having portions thereof swedgedtransversely in the.di rection of another of said walls to formdiagonals, the diagonals in eachof said shapes being united to unswedgedportions of an adjacent shape disposed with relation to the diagonals inthe next adjacent shape to form substantially straight line struts.

10. A steel frame comprising a plurality of structural steel membersarranged in parallel relationship with each other, each of saidstructural steel members having two walls in substantially right-angularrelationof said structural steel members being swedged transversely inthe direction of another of said walls to providediagonals, thediagonals in each of said shapes being united to unswedged portions ofan adjacent shape and arranged in substantial alignment with thediagonals of adjacent structural steel members to form struts. i

11. A steel frame comprising a plurality of structural steel membershaving walls disposed in angular relationship with one another, one of'the walls of each of said struc-, tural steel members having a portionthereof stretched transversely in the direction of another of said wallsto form diagonals, the stretched portion of each of said stretched wallsbeing secured to an unstretched portion of the corresponding wall of thenext adjacent structural steel member.

12. A steel frame comprising a plurality of-v structural steel membershaving walls disposed in angular relationship with one an-, other, oneof the walls of each of said structural steel members having a portionthereof stretched transversely in the direction of another of said wallsto form diagonals, the stretched portion of each of said stretched wallsbeing secured to an unstretched portion. of the corresponding wall ofthe next adjacent structural steel member, the other walls. of saidstructural steel members being disposed substantially in one plane.

13. A steel structure comprising aplurality of frames in right-angularrelationship with one anotlier, each of said frames comprisfingstructural steel members arranged in onals, pairs of diagonalsi-n'eachbfsaid structural steel members being united to unswedged portions ofanadjacentstructural steel member, said diagonals being arranged,

'15. A steel frameadapted to form the.

framework of the wall of a building comprismg a'plurality of structuralsteel members .each having walls disposed in right-angular relationshipwith one another, and transverse structural steel members connectingcertain of said first-mentioned structural steel members, certain ofsaid first-mentioned structural steel members being interrupted at saidtransverse structural steel members to provide openings equal to thespacing between a plurality of said first-mentioned structural steelmembers, one of the walls of each of said first-mentioned structuralsteel members having a portion thereof stretched transversely in thedirection of another of said walls to form diagonals, pairs of saiddiagon'alsbeing connected by flat portions, said fiat port ions beingsecured to unstretched portions of the next adjacent structural steelmember whereby to form, substantially straight line struts.

Signed at Gary, Indiana, this 11th day of 'November,1927.

y WALTER A. BATES.

parallel relationship with one another, each i of said structural steelmembers having adjacent walls in right-angular relationship with oneanother, one of said walls having portions thereof stretchedtransversely in the direction of another of said walls to formdiagonals, said stretched portion being secured to an unstretchedportion of the corresponding wall of the next adjacent structural steelmember, said angularly disposed I walls at the edges'of adjacent framesbeing secured together to form a cornerconstructi oned structural steelmembers providing openings having a width equal to the spacin' between aplurality of said first-mentione structural steel members, one of saidwalls of each of said structural steel members being swedgedtransversely in the direction of anotherof said walls to provide diag-

